Hair spray shields



United States Patent 3,041,624 HAIR SPRAY SHIELDS Joseph John Cutrona, Jr., 177 Beech St., Paterson, NJ. Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,723 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-11) The present invention relates to improvements in shields of the type used to shield the face during the application of hair sprays and the like to the head.

When applying a spray or the like to the hair, it is desirable that some means be provided to prevent the spray from impinging on unintended body areas such as the skin of the face, and the eyes, nose, and mouth. Failure to provide such facial shielding during hair spray application will cause much annoyance and discomfort to the female subject being treated, since the spray will not only ruin her makeup but may also irritate the sensitive mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel face shield to protect the face during application of sprays and the like to the hair.

A more specific object is the provision of a face shield of the foregoing type which is readily adjustable to fit the facial contour of the user.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of a face shield which: is easily and economically manufactured, can be stored and shipped flat, and then subsequently adjusted to a bowed condition to fit the face of the wearer, retains its bowed adjusted shape, and can be held in position for use with one hand.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the novel face shield of the invention comprises a normally flat sheet of thin stiff imperforate waterproof material. The sheet is adapted to be bowed outwardly to a desired configuration to comfortably fit the face of the user. Shaping means is provided to maintain the sheet in its outwardly bowed configuration. The shaping means comprises an elongated strip of malleable or pliable material secured to and extending along the face of the sheet. The malleable shaping strip is form-retaining, i.e., will remain in substantially any configuration to which it is bent. Therefore, when the sheetand with it the stripis bowed or bent to the desired configuration for use, the strip will remain in bent condition, holding the sheet bowed.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing how the face shield of the invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the shield in its fiat, i.e., unbowed condition prior to use.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the shield in bowed condition for use.

As seen in the drawing, the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein includes as its main body portion a thin, flat sheet 1 of clear (i.e., transparent), relatively stiff, imperforate, waterproof plastic material. Any one of the well-known and readily available synthetic plastics may be employed as the material of which the sheet is made. Sheet 1 is preferably rectangular in outline, having opposed side edges 1a, 1b, and top and bottom edges 1c and 1d respectively. For a reason to be mentioned 41, 2 Patented July 3, 1962 ice subsequently, the upper corners 2 and 3 of sheet 1 are preferably rounded.

The shield of the invention includes shaping means for maintaining sheet 1 bent to any desired outwardly bowed configuration for use. The shaping means comprises at least one elongated strip 4 of malleable or pliable, formretaining material, such as aluminum. Strip 4 extends laterally along the face of sheet 1 between and substantially parallel to edges 1c, 1d, the strip being disposed adjacent to but spaced upwardly from the lower edge 1d.

The strip 4 is of such length that it extends along a major portion of the face of sheet 1. Preferably, the strip length is coextensive with the side-to-side width dimension of the sheet whereby the respective opposite ends of the strip terminate flush with the sheets side edges 1a and 1b respectively.

Adjacent said side edges 1a and 1b, strip 4 is fastened taining strip 5 may be provided at the extreme lower end portion of sheet 1.

The shield is used as follows. As manufactured, the composite unit, comprising sheet 1 and strips 4, 5, is flat as seen in FIG. 2, thereby making shipmentmore economical. For use, the shield is bent to assume a bowed configuration of such curvature that upper edge 1c of the sheet will conform substantially to the upper forehead contour of the subject. In this regard, the aforementioned rounded corners 2 and 3 provide a better fit against the forehead than would otherwise be the case if the corners were square.

When bending the shield to bowed condition, it will be found convenient to grasp it adjacent strip 4 and bend it around a suitable form. Because of its stifiness, sheet 1 has a tendency to spring back to its fiat condition. However, the malleable, form-retaining characteristic of strip 4 (and 5) holds the sheet in bowed shape.

The bowed shield is grapsed at its lower end and held against the forehead just below the hair line as seen in FIG. 1. Thereupon, when a spray or the like is applied to the hair, the shield will protect the subjects face from unintended application of the material being sprayed or otherwise applied,

The following dimensions have been found to be suitable for the shield components: sheet 1, 7 high x 10" wide x .015" thick; strips 4 and 5, each wide x .040"

thick. Obviously, other suitable dimensions can be used for the sheet and the strips.

While there has been described in detail in this specification one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention can be practiced in other forms, i.e., with various modifications as to size, shape, arrangement, etc., of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the disclosure of the aforesaid one embodiment of the invention be illustrative only, and not limitative of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 1

1. A device of the class described comprising: a sheet of thin stiff imperforate waterproof material adapted to r i 3 a i =be bowed outwardly to a desired configuration, said sheet having opposed lateral side edges and a top and bottom portion; shapingmeans for maintaining said sheet bent to said outwardly bowed configuration, said shaping means comprising an elongated strip of malleable, form-retaining material secured to' said sheet and extending substantially laterally thereof along a major portion of the face of said sheet.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said strip is secured to said sheet at points spaced a substantial distance apart in the direction of the lengths of said strip, said strip being otherwise unsecured to said sheet.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said strip extends to substantially the side edges of said sheet.

enemas 4. The combination accordingto claim 2, wherein said points at which saidstrip is secured to said sheet are 10- cated adjacent the opposite ends of said strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (KL 33c 14/13 7 'Germany' Feb. 28, 1957 i I ma 

